Last year, I posted about the last day of school, & without any promotion (linking to Pinterest or other blogs) it became the most viewed post on my blog! Since we did things slightly different this year, I thought I’d give you an update on our yearly traditions!
I had been sick earlier in the week, so I was still playing catch up the morning of the last day of school. This year, we gave the kids’ teachers, custodians, secretaries, principals, & nurses gift cards to Orange Leaf for frozen yogurt. In the past, we have given $5 gift cards to the staff for Dairy Queen, Star Bucks, & Little Caesar’s (where you can get an entire large pizza for 5 bucks!) as well.
This year, instead of just putting a note in Zeke’s lunch, I decided to do something silly & unusual & wrap his lunch container!
![Last Day of School Lunch Last Day of School Lunch](http://lh3.ggpht.com/-xDXcPgjQEEM/UcdB6bjKCQI/AAAAAAAADs0/pnOguCP6NR8/IMG_7464_thumb%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800)
I used a sharpie to write a note on the packaging & added a little washi tape flag to the stem of his apple! Luckily, Zeke thought it was funny & didn’t have his hopes dashed when he unwrapped his lunch instead of a cool gift!
![Summer Fun Gift Ideas Summer Fun Gift Ideas](http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ENivJ5nnLSw/UcdB7-mYJ0I/AAAAAAAADtE/rSgMKAn_IhY/IMG_7465_thumb%25255B8%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800)
Once both kids were in school, I assembled some goodies in sand buckets as a last day of school surprise. The gifts consisted of goggles, sidewalk chalk, bug nets, water squirters, glow sticks, bubbles, a styrophome plane, water football, jump rope, & magnifying glass.
![Last Day of School Surprise Last Day of School Surprise](http://lh4.ggpht.com/-NvgNFD8T-sE/UcdB8_TR4uI/AAAAAAAADtU/Yw-KNLkTNuY/IMG_7467_thumb%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800)
Later, I sat them on the front stoop & attached a note for each of my kids explaining how excited I am to get to spend all summer with them! I also made a poster for the front door & was informed it could be seen all the way from the bus stop!
![Last Day of School Water Balloons Last Day of School Water Balloons](http://lh6.ggpht.com/-OZ7f8xOik9w/UcdB98qblAI/AAAAAAAADtk/7SVseGO0y-c/IMG_7466_thumb%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800)
Our yearly tradition is to hide around the house & spray our kids with water guns & hoses once they walk up the driveway on the last day. I kept stalling hoping my husband would be home to help (especially since there was a big toad in the shed, making it impossible for me to go in & get the hose!) & frantically at 3:00, with about twenty minutes until the kids got home, I began filling up water balloons at lightning speed. I put most of them in a bucket at the end of the driveway with a note that said, “I think you know what to do with these!”
With just minutes to spare, I armed myself with a water gun & water balloons, & ran around the side of the house! As soon as they got to the driveway, I ran out & attacked them with my ammo! Unfortunately, the kids soon noticed the bucket of water balloons & without my handy sidekick (aka my husband) I got the worse end of the deal!
After drying off & grabbing a quick bite to eat in the car, we headed to a local amusement park, (we have season passes) for some extra fun! The weather was great, the lines were short, & it was the perfect way to kick start our summer break!
![Amusement Park Fun on the Last Day of School Amusement Park Fun on the Last Day of School](http://lh4.ggpht.com/-K2N0Mo1rPFQ/UcdB_Z-3M5I/AAAAAAAADt0/jfP7lxoB2Rk/IMG_7468_thumb%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800)
So, do you celebrate the last day of school? I’d love to hear what you do to make the last (or first) day of school special!